Automatic shut-off for fluids.



EDMUND LOMAX CRIDGE, OF 'PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF FOR FLUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19 1907.

Application filed February 1-6, 1906. Serial No. 301,370.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDMUND LoMAx CRIDGE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Passaic,.in the county of Passaic and State of NewJersey, have invented a.

new and Improved Automatic Shut-Off for Fluids, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to valve mechanism, my more particular object beingto provide a valve operated and controlled by means of pressure of afluid passing through said valve, the arrangement being such that whenthe pressure of the fluid falls below a predetermined limit the valvecloses and shuts off further flow of the fluid.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawing, forming apart of thisspecification, in which the figure represents a diagrammatic elevationof my invention, certain parts being broken away for the sake ofclearness.

It will be understood that I do not limit myself to the use of anexpansible medium, such as steam or compressed air, for the reason thatmy invention may be employed in connection with liquids and all otherforms of fluid bodies.

A boiler is shown at 1 and is connected by a comparatively short pipe 2with a valvecasing 3. From this valve-casing a pipe 4 leads to ane lbow5, the latter being connected to a pipe 6.

The valve-casing 3 is provided with avalveseat 7, and a valve member 8is adapted to engage and disengage this seat.

Connected with the valve-casing 3 is a cylinder 9, provided with a vent9". Fitted steam-tight within this cylinder is a piston 10,

which is connected with the valve member 8' by means of a piston-rod 11,preferably of large diameter, as shown. A packing 12 is engaged by thevalve member 8 when the latter is in its uppermost position.

The valve-casing 3 is provided with a'passage- 13 and with an annularflange 14, threaded internally. The base 15 of the cylinder 9 isthreaded externally and is screwed into the threaded flange 14. Thepassage 16 inthe wall of the cylinder 9 registers with the passage 13.At 17 is a spring-casing superposed over the cylinder 9 The passage 16is bounded at its upper end by .a valve-seat 18, the latter beingengaged by a-small valve 19,

mounted upon a stem 20. This stem -is encircled by a spiral spring 21,mounted within 'a packing 43.

the spring-casing 17. Mounted upon the stem 20 is a fixed disk 22,against which the spring 21 exerts its tension. A bracket 23 extendsupward from the spring-casing 17 Connected with the bracket 23 by meansof a pivot 25 is a lever 24. A set-screw 26 passes through the lever 24and engages the upper end of the valve-stem 20. A locking-nut 27encircles the screw 26 and engages the lever 24 for the purpose ofadjusting the lever 24 relatively to the stem 20.

Mounted centrally over thecylinder 9 is a spring-casing 28. A stem 29,connected rigidly with the piston 10, extends into the case ing 28 andis encircled by a spiral spring 30. Theupper end of the stem 29 isprovided with a disk 31, which receives the tension of thespring. Thespring 30, being at its maximum length, maintains the piston '10, thepiston-rod 11, and the valve member 8 in their respective normalpositions, as indicated in the figure. A bracket 32 is mounted upon theupper end of the casing 28. Pivoted within this bracket 32 is a lever33, which engages the lever 24 and naturally holds the same in a generalposition approximately horizontal. A hook 34, of iron or steel, isconnected by a spring 35 with the bracket 32. The lower end of this hook34 normally engages one end of the lever 33.

A bracket 36 is mounted uponthe cylinder 9 by means of screws 37, and onsaid bracket the hook 34 is pendent. Electromagnets 38 are connectedwith the bracket 36 and supported thereby. A whistle 39 communicateswith the upper end of the cylinder 9 and produces an alarm wheneversteam (or other expansible medium) is admitted into the upper end of thecylinder. The pipe 6 in the apparatus shown is a steam-pi e. Connectedwith this pipe 6 by means 0 a tubular passage 41 is a valve-casing 40.Mounted within this valve-casing is a piston 42. A hand-valve is usedforventing the casing 40 at will. The piston 42 normally engages Connectedwith the piston 42 is a stem 44, projecting upwardly from the casing 40.Pivoted upon a bracket 45 is an arm 46, carrying a weight 47, which maybe adjusted, said arm resting upon the stem 44. A guide 48 encircles thearm 46 and limits its upward movement. A contact member 50 is mounted uon the lower side of the arm 46 and insulate therefrom by means of hardrubber 51 or other insulating medium. From the contact member 50 a wire52 leads to the magnets 38, and thence a wire 53 leads to a battery 54.This battery is connected by a wire 55 with the contact member 49. Thehand-valve .15 is used-for allowing the escape of steam from above theiston in resetting the valve. It may a so be employed for removing anywater of condensation which may form above the piston.

The operation of my device is as follows: The steam or other fluid bodynormally passes through the pipe 2, the valve 3, the pipe 4, the elbow5, and the pipe 6 and exerts a pressure "through the passage 41 againstthe under side of the piston 42. This raises the piston 42 to its normalposition (indicated in the figure) and in so doing causes the stem 44 toraise the weighted arm 46. The contact members 49 and 50 are now out ofengagement. and consequently the magnets 38 are deenergized. The hook34, being of iron or other magnetic substance, is adapted to serve as anarmature for the magnets 38. The valve member 8 is by action of thespring 31 maintained in its normal position, so as to revent the passageof the fluid. The small va ve 19, being pressed by the action of thespring 21 upon the seat 18, closes the upper end of the passage 16. Ifnow, owing to relaxation of pressure of the fluid medium passing throughthe pipe 6, the piston 42 is allowed to descend by the action of theweight 47, the contact member 50 is brought into engagement with thecontact member 49, thereby completing the following circuit: battery 54,wire 55, contact members 49 50, wire 52, magnet 38, wire 53, back tobattery 54. This energizes the magnets 38 and. causes the armature 34 tobe attracted, thereby disengaging the lever 33, and consequentlyreleasing the lever 24. The upper end of the stem 20 being no longerheld down, the tension of the spring 21 raises this stem and lifts thevalve 19 off the seat 18. This permits the fluid to pass upwardlythroughthe passages 13 and, 16 into the upper end of the cylinder 9, where itexerts a downward pressure upon the piston 10 and forces the valve 8into engagement with the seat 7, thereby sto ping the general flow ofthe medium there efore flowing through the pipe 2, the valve 3, and thepipes 4 and 6.

While in the particular apparatus shown the pressure cont-rolling thepiston 42 is greater than the atmospheric pressure, I do not limitmyself to this degree of pressure.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. Thecombination of a valve provided with a closuremember, pressure-controlled mechanism for actuating said closure member,an electromagnet for operating said pressure-controlled mechanism, anelectric circuit for energizing said electromagnet, contact mechanismfor opening and closing said electric circuit, and means controllable bythe pressure of the medium flowing through said valve for opening andclosing said contact mechanism.

2. The combination of a casing, a piston mounted therein, a weighted armconnected with said piston, a contact to be opened and closed bymovements of said weighted arm, an electric circuit connected with saidcontact, a magnet connected with said electric circuit and energizedthereby, a valve for controlling the flow of a medium, and mechanismoperated by said electromagnet for actuating said valve.

3. The combination of a valve provided with a closure member, a cylinderassociated with said valve and provided with a piston for actuating saidclosure member, means for admitting a small portion of the fluid passingthrough said valve to said piston, a smaller valve for temporarilyobstructing the flow of said fluid into said cylinder, and mechanismcontrollable electrically from a distance for displacing saidsmallervalve.

4. The combination of a valve provided with a closure member,pressure-controlled mechanism for actuating said closure member,electric mechanism for actuating said pressure-controlled mechanism, andmeans controllable automatically by the pressure of a medium flowingthrough said valve for energizing and denergizing said electricmechanism.

5. The combination of a valve provided. with a closure member, means foractuating said closure member positively, electric mechanism forcontrolling said means, said electric .mechanism beingprovided with acircuit, and contact mechanism controllable by pressure of a mediumflowing through said valve forvarying the condition of said electriccircuit.

6. The combination of a valve provided with a closure member, mechanismfor actuating said closure member, an electric circuit for controllingsaid mechanism, and means controllable automatically by pressure of afluid medium passing through said valve for opening and closing saidelectric circuit.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDMUND LOMAX CRIDGE.

Witnesses:

A. WARD VAN RIPER, CHARLES R. GARROBRANT.

